Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: David Musil spent most of the season with HC Dukla Jihlava’s Under-20 team. In 34 games for that team, he scored 11 goals and added 23 assists for 34 points to go along with 54 penalty minutes. Musil also played in 14 games for that organization at a higher level, picking up 1 assist in those games. He registered no points in 4 playoff games at that level. Musil had been chosen in a special draft by the WHL’s Kootenay Ice who then dealt his rights to the Vancouver Giants prior to the 2009-10 season.

2009-10: In his WHL rookie season, Musil played in 71 games for the Vancouver Giants. He scored 7 goals and added 25 assists for 32 points to go along with 67 penalty minutes. In 16 playoff games, Musil scored 2 goals and added 2 assists for 4 points. Musil was drafted in the first round, 12th overall, of the KHL Draft by SKA St. Petersburg.

2010-11: In 62 games for the Giants, Musil scored 6 goals and added 19 assists for 25 points to go along with 83 penalty minutes. In 4 playoff games, he registered 1 assist. Musil played for the Czech Republic at the 2011 U-18 World Junior Championship, registering no points in 5 games. He was named one of the top 3 players on his team for that tournament. Musil played for Team Orr at the 2011 CHL Home Hardware Top Prospects Game, picking up 1 assist in Orr’s 7-1 win over Team Cherry.

2011-12: Musil attended training camp with the Oilers before returning to Vancouver to skate for the WHL’s Giants for a third season. He also played for the Czech Republic in the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. He scored 6 goals with 21 assist and finished plus-nine with 104 penalty minutes in 59 games; suffering a late-season wrist injury that required surgery and kept him out of the playoffs. The Czech Republic finished fifth at the WJC and Musil was plus-five with no points and 4 penalty minutes. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with Edmonton in July, 2012.

2012-13: Musil returned to Vancouver for his fourth WHL season and played 12 games with the Giants before a trade to the powerful Edmonton Oil Kings at the end of October. In 62 WHL games between the two teams he scored 9 goals with 22 assists and was +29 with 74 penalty minutes. Edmonton finished first in the Central Division and lost to Portland in the WHL Finals. Musil was +10 with 6 assists and 26 penalty minutes in 22 playoff games. He was an assistant captain for the Czech Republic at the 2013 World Junior Championship and was an even plus/minus with no points and 18 penalty minutes in six games.

Talent Analysis

Musil boasts good size and is a strong character-guy. Primarily considered a shutdown defender at this point, he has good puck skills and an offensive side that could evolve over the next few years, however it is unlikely he will be a big time scorer at the NHL level. He plays a smart, contained, physical brand of hockey, boasts NHL bloodlines (son of Frank Musil), and has a skill set that should translate incredibly well at the pro level. He has had some issues with injuries in junior, which is never good, however has thus far avoided anything too serious.

Future

Musil will play his first pro season in 2013-14, likely in a third or fourth line depth role. He will need to ensure that his physicality and puck movement skills that he possessed in junior translate over to professional hockey to avoid the slump that plagues many as they adjust to the increased pace and skill of the game at that level.

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Photo: Edmonton Oilers prospect Jujhar Khaira has worked hard to develop a complete game in his rookie season with Oklahoma City (courtesy of John Rivera/Icon Sportswire)

Changes are afoot within the Edmonton Oilers organization – most notably with the firing of head coach Dallas Eakins and the promotion of former Oklahoma City Barons head coach Todd Nelson to interim head coach of the Oilers. Also important to note in this year’s minor league update is the dissolution of the relationship between the Edmonton Oilers and the Oklahoma City Barons, effective at the end of the 2014-15 season. It has been reported that in 2015-16, the Oilers’ farm team will be relocating to Bakersfield, California, where the Oilers-owned ECHL team, the Bakersfield Condors, currently play.

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Photo: Laurent Brossoit has strengthened Edmonton’s goaltending depth in the prospect ranks, which was once an area of weakness for the team. (courtesy of Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

While the Edmonton Oilers continue to rebuild and retool their squad at the NHL level, their diverse group of prospects have been flourishing for the most part, with a number taking significant steps under the tutelage of Todd Nelson of the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL).

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Darnell Nurse recorded 50 points in 64 games while also serving as captain of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. (courtesy of Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

The Fall 2014 edition of the Edmonton Oilers Top 20 remained relatively steadfast among the top five spots save for the addition of newcomer to the list and 2014 third-overall draft selection Leon Draisaitl. Once again, the Top 20 is dominated by defensive prospects but two strong power forwards, Mitch Moroz and Jujhar Khaira (both drafted in 2012), continue to turn heads as they make a push up the rankings and look toward having a strong training camp performance. Goaltender Laurent Brossoit is pulling away from the pack of Oilers goaltending prospects, proving himself the clear front-runner for a chance at an NHL job after a strong rookie professional season.

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Photo: A consistent contributor at both ends for AHL Oklahoma City, defenseman Martin Marincin debuted with the Oilers in a two-game NHL stint in early December (courtesy of Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Oilers’ minor league prospect pool is an interesting mix of elite-caliber defensemen, a few mid-level picks that are hanging on to the last fringes of their professional career (at least as an Oilers prospect) and a few that could go either direction, depending if they are able to take that next step.